Romans 16:1-24 July 7, 2022
Introduction:
I’ve come to discover this truth about myself...I passionately believe in the mission of the church...Jesus has commissioned us to “Go make disciples.”
And my personality is this...”C’mon, lets go!!!”
I see our enemy fairly clearly at work with his army, and I want to charge in and attack him. I want to charge into the fray.
Sometimes that’s good, faith requires action. But sometimes my passion and enthusiasm supersedes “preparation.”
“Abraham Lincoln said, “If I had 15 minutes to cut down a tree I would spend 10 minutes sharpening the ax.”
Please don’t get me wrong...I still passionately believe our calling at Cornerstone Christian is "To make disciples as we go into the world."
I prefer the term Lead Minister more than I do Senior Minister...not just because Senior makes me sound old, but because I believe “Lead” better describes what my calling to be here involves.
I’m supposed to be the guy that says “Come on, lets charge up that mountain. And I am also supposed to lead that charge.”
What I need to make sure happens is this: the leadership, the staff, and the committed core at Cornerstone understand how charging up that hill helps us fulfill our mission, and that I’ve lived in away among you that I’m worth following.
The book of Romans is the Apostle Paul’s charge up the hill of disciple making in the Gentile world. No wonder it begins
ROMANS 1:1-6
The Gentile world is “Paul’s Hill”. It’s his calling. The Lord said, “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)
Our hill, our calling, our mission is much the same. It’s the community of Cornerstone, it’s Lexington, it’s the U.S. and it’s the entire world.
Cornerstone is called to grow “Hill chargers” and men and women who are equipped to go up that Hill in support.
Our text this morning in Romans 16 is Paul’s celebration of many of the people who charged up the hill with him. It’s the acknowledgment that if no one is following you, you’re not leading.
Being out “on point” in front can be a lonely place. It’s good to know you have an entire army guarding your back and ready to support the mission.
I love the fact that the church of Jesus Christ recognizes the giftedness of women as well as men.
I. PHOEBE SHOULD BE RECEIVED IN THE LORD IN A WAY WORTHY OF HIS PEOPLE.
Romans 16 is filled with Paul’s desire to recognize the people who have overcome the loneliness in his missionary life. And guess what, the first person he commends is a woman named Phoebe.
ROMANS 16:1-2
Phoebe’s a deacon, “deaconess.” It literally means “servant” of the church in Cenchreae.
I’m not going to spend an hour going through scripture and arguing “gender roles” in the church. God has made us “male and female” in His image. It seems to me that men are called to be the spiritual leaders in the home, and in turn, I believe elders are men. But shouldn’t we spend a lot more time helping every single person, male and female be the servant God has called them to be, than arguing about “husband of 1 wife”?
Phoebe, a woman is the first person Paul commends in his closing. An accident, I think not.
I want to lead my wife, my sons, my daughters, my grandchildren to be passionate followers of Christ. I want to lead my wife and daughters to discover what Christ’s calling in their lives are...just as much as my sons.
Jesus’ church was amazingly freeing for women, it still should be. Listen:
GALATIANS 3:26-29
Phoebe was a “servant” of the church. She needed help. She needed support. She was the benefactor of many people, including the Apostle Paul.
Benefactor means: “A person who gives money or helps to support a cause.”
Phoebe was a woman with a mission. She had a servant’s heart. She brought encouragement and unity to the church. And Paul said, help her. Support her.
[So whether it’s the woman who heads into the world of sex slavery and abuse to give good news, or the woman who heads into New beginnings to proclaim hope, grace and a purpose to a young lay struggling with a pregnancy, or the woman who serves in the local body of Christ building up, teaching, equipping – a servant.
My job, our leaders job is to receive her in a way worthy of God’s people, help her, because she is an amazing answer to our calling.
And it’s also no coincidence that the 2nd people Paul greets in Romans 16 is...a couple sold out for Jesus.
II. PRISCILLA AND AQUILA, CO-WORKERS IN CHRIST JESUS.
ROMANS 16: 3-5a
By the way he mentions Priscilla first, and whether we like it or not in scripture that usually indicates importance. Not leadership, importance.
This couple has risked their lives for Paul, and for the cause of Christ. They are joined together, and joined to Jesus. They are sold out for the purpose of making disciples who follow Jesus and fulfill His mission.
[Kari and I began our relationship committed to Christ. We didn’t sleep with each other before our wedding for this reason. Our first Bible said, “The King’s Couple” and when I die she will know that there is only 1 I’ve loved more than her, and that’s what makes loving her most important, like Christ loved the Church. (Ephesians 5:25)
If men who claimed to be followers of Christ really love Him first, and seek His kingdom first, treating their wives like Christ would, their daughters will learn what real love is and their sons will learn how to treat women, and a powerful unity will exist all the days of their lives.]
Priscilla and Aquila had this. It changed their priorities. And mentoring others to charge up the hill with them became their lifestyle. Don’t believe me? Turn with me to Acts 18.
ACTS 18:23-28
Paul is charging up hills throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, mentoring, strengthening disciples, and at the same time an educated Jewish man named “Apollos” taught about Jesus accurately (only one problem, He knew only John’s baptism, for repentance).
What does our godly couple named Priscilla and Aquila do, they invite him into their home “explain the way of God to him more adequately, more completely.” (Baptism isn’t just for repentance, that’s absolutely part of the equation but it’s also for the remission of our sin and to receive the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38)
Now Apollos was even more effective to charge up the hill with the gospel.
Folks, I don’t know if Phoebe was married or not, it doesn’t look like it, but the final list in Romans 16 is to individuals, or primarily to individuals, men and women.
III. INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE THE LORD NOT THEIR OWN APPETITES.
Epenetus, Mary, Andronicus, Junia, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, Tryphena and Tryphosu, Persis, Rufus and his mom, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters, Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas, and all the Lord’s people who are with them.
Men, women, households, brothers and sisters.
Paul’s message to each of these individuals in the Church, big “C” not little “c”
ROMANS 16:17-20
Avoid cliques at all costs! Have each other’s back, don’t stab people in the back! If you are growing in Christ and see such people “keep away from them.” They will kill your passion and purpose.
Watch out for people who are motivated by selfish things. They are all talk and no action. They’re not serving Jesus, they’re serving their own appetites.
Show what you believe by obeying Jesus. Be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Don’t forget, pretty soon God’s gonna crush Satan’s head! The grace of Jesus be with you...
Every name that Paul tells Tertius to write is a relationship, a memory of support, love and connection.
People don’t come to church to find God...they see God’s character through His people and God finds them.
In fact this letter is being written by a secretary, Tertius. The book of Romans, this letter comes to fruition because someone became Paul’s hands. Paul can’t hardly stop saying “I love yous” to people, his co-worker Timothy, his fellow Jews Lucios, Jason, Sosipater.
Tertius the secretary even follows Paul’s example. He breaks the imaginary wall. “I, Tertius who wrote this letter greet you in Christ” so do Gaius, Erastus, Quartus and the whole church!
Women, couples, individuals, every single name a relationship. All people God had called, all people who were connected to Jesus and each other, so that even in a prison cell Paul could know He wasn’t alone. And the work continued.
CONCLUSION:
[I really hate the contemporary saying of “Lets go to church.” And by contemporary I mean the last 100, 150 years or so in America where we’ve built buildings, held worship “services” and told people “you should come to church.”
What that evil saying has done is convince the “normal American” Christian that we go to a place and gather or assemble for songs and a sermon, and since 1885 Sunday School. We have church, and then we go home.
Ironically the early believers had no building, they met in Solomon's colonnade in the temple courts and from house to house. God added to their number daily because the gospel was shared through life, every day living. Winning people took place Monday-Saturday and then on the Lord’s day. They committed themselves to discipleship growth. They met together for fellowship “Koinonia”, Encouragement, Connection. The Word of God taught through the Apostles (no written New Testament yet). They took the Lord’s supper, and they prayed.
It was all designed by Jesus to help them (and us) grow up, be encouraged and strengthened, to know God’s plan even better, and to talk with God together, so that every day they could be living sacrifices, that each day would be a spiritual act of worship” and on Sundays they could thank God for the victories and prepare for next week’s battles TOGETHER.”
Ironically, we’re part of a movement that believes we should live, love and be like these early Christians. By the way, movements that don’t move, become obstacles.
The good news, whatever you are a woman, a couple or an individual. God’s got a plan, Jesus is our Savior, and the Church is the answer for our loneliness!
Let’s pray.
